Action Events

When I game, I have this revolving set of fun things that players can grab bag when they want to step away from the main story line or enrich it. Effectively, a quest bank of sorts.

Usually, I post this to the website I run for the campaign and its driven by the players actions, location and social connections.

The intent is dual-hatted. As a GM I can provide background, story and flavor to the world. It also provides quests and events the players can choose to use or ignore, depending on their choice.

It goes like this.  Build out your table.  I use a d12 for variance because it matches my top categories. I put major organizations or factions on the same table, just with a different roll pattern.  

Skip the table and right to examples from my current game.

Or, read on and see what the table below shows.

Quest Bank Table

Roll Org or Faction Category
1 1 Fight
2 2-4 Collect
3 5 Explore
4 6 Escort
5 7 Find
6 8 Guard
7 9 Investigate
8 -- Race to ...
9 10 Retrieve
10 -- Roleplay
11 11 Social
12 12 Organize

Once done, I take the categories and organize some missions that make sense.  I've left place holders for areas like location, names, who, and so on that are filled in by the GM from the campaign.

Category Table

Category Mission
Fight Clear out a [camp, mine, hideout, base, gang, group] called [name] at [location]
Fight Raid a warehouse and [burn, retrieve, or destroy, do nothing] to the resources there
Fight Raid a [monster] nest at [location]
Fight Duel a [club, person, family, organization] for [honor, person, request, fame, other] at [location]
Fight Slay [person, monster, entity] at [location]
Fight Slaying [person, monster, entity] [at location, in event, for organization] provides faction fame and compensation.
Fight Hunt [monster, entity, undead] reducing their population
Collect Go to [location, anywhere] and gather [###] of [resource]
Collect Go to [location, anywhere] and gather heaven & earth treasures
Collect Provide [###] units of metal moss
Collect Highly reputable [person, agency] is offering to [reduced price, freely] [craft, convert, handle] [resource, weapon, item, object] if [resources, fame] is brought to them.
Collect Bring the [body part, ornament, weapons, armor, etc.] of [person, monster, organization] to [agency]
Collect Bring [resources, requirements] to [person, agency] and they will provide [pet, resource, craft, fame, enhanced enchantment, alchemy, etc.] in return.
Collect Make a [rubbing, recording] of [runes, formation, sounds, event, etc.]
Explore Got to [location] and use the [provided item, something you collect, etc.] on [location, person, object]
Explore Got to [location] and plant [seeds, devices, formation]
Explore Explore a historical ruin or forgotten location
Escort [Agency] provides [monthly tribute, support, delivery, etc.] to [other agency, location]. Request players to escort it to make a safe and successful delivery.
Escort Take [person, object] to [person, location] reporting to [person, position]
Escort Guide a person (mentoring) for [contest, event, training, battle, cultivation, etc.]
Escort Bring the knowledge of [recipe, current events, knowledge] to [location, agency, person]
Find Find missing [person, object, ] that was [lost, stolen] at [location]
Find Local musician plays a song to prevent/keep at bay something. He goes missing. Players must find a replacement or find the missing musician or else bad things happen.
Find Find the source of the Green mold infesting the [x] part of the [city, village, location]
Find Find the location and information of Crimson Shirt bandits secret base
Guard Guard a shipment of fine goods on a delivery to [location] for [agency] taking [###] days
Guard Guard [person, monster] [nothing, against, in case of] [attack, issues, accidents]
Investigate Need adventurers to help with a [city, wilderness, people, cultivation, etc.] situation. Ability [define ability] recommended or helpful.
Investigate Villain starts a counterfeit business to pay for their villany but someone figures it out and sets the players on their trail.
Investigate Perfect Detoxification of [plant, animal, material]
Investigate Determine if ghosts are infesting [city, village, location]
Investigate Determine truth or lie to an alchemical pill being born with [spirit, intelligence] in [location]
Investigate Get an update on the situation at [location] from [person]
Investigate Figure out how to [cook, find, handle] a [monster]
Investigate Intercept and [understand, bring back] encrypted communications between [agency] and [agency]
Investigate Break a code or cipher belong to [agency]
Race to... Race to get to and mark or pick up a flag/mark from a series of statues in the city
Retrieve Recover lost goods at [location] for [agency].
Retrieve Rescue [person, slaves, monsters] from [location, event, agency]
Roleplay One or more players are selected to take the role of [entity] for a [festival, event, contest]
Roleplay Dress up as [person, position, entity] and go to [walk around the city, act as a decoy, village, etc.]
Social Participate in [contest, championship, event, holiday, group, etc.] achieve [status, win a specific place, etc.]
Social Negotiate [truce, conflict, trade, barter, contest, social event] with [agency, person] and [agency, person]
Social Call for adventurers to participate in a soft skills [local, city, regional] [contest, event]
Social Looking for [skill, capability] qualified candidates. Speak to [person] to make the introduction.
Social Convince [agency, person] to allow [agency, person] to use their [location] as a venue for [activity]
Organize Organize a [trade, meeting, auction, contest, event] for [trade, conflict, exchange, etc.].
Organize organize a trade caravan to go to [city, town, area, continent, world] for trade. It would return at [time] to settle the income and expenses of this trade. At the same time, the trade caravan could also be [ordered, requested] to purchase the necessary materials, or be designated to sell certain materials to a certain city.

I run Faction or Organization specific events as well.  These take a bit more investment, but I also add that as a category when rolling if it applies to the gaming group.  I've some examples of Faction specific items, though pretty much any of the above events qualify as well.

Faction Examples

  1. Hunt a number of [monster] to replace the current skins placed on the [location] floor
  2. Gather [plant, fur, hair] from [monster] to craft a new [rug, tapestry, etc.] for [location, person]
  3. Sword Washing. Weapons used for cursed or nefarious purposes have to be cleansed by performing mundane or normal actions. A sword to chop wood, an axe to make pasta, etc.
  4. Unfold the scroll with your experience. Feed it experience and it gives you a chance to earn back what you have given and more. "A scroll unfolded before them. It was a painting of a war scene. You re-fight or play a part in the war scene."
  5. Song Writer. Help write the immortal song. Requires a courageous band to actual play out the song (re-live it).
  6. Training time. Need a batch of people to assist in training; basically spending their time battling various folks to help them get better. Provides XP